E.—l

ing to average attendance involves great hardship in times of wide-spread sickness, and that some modification is required beyond that which is afforded by the distinction made between strict average and working average by the Order in Council now in force. Departmental Expenditure. In estimating the cost of each child's education no account was taken of the expenses of the Education Department. These, however, scarcely exceed £2,000 for the year, and one-half of that sum is fairly chargeable to Native and industrial schools, and other subordinate branches of the work of the department. Inspection of Schools. The several Boards have submitted the reports received by them from their Inspectors. It appears from these reports that 51 per cent, of the number of children on the rolls at the end of the year were presented for standard examination during the year : the proportion for 1880 Avas only 466 per cent. Of those presented, 73-4 per cent, passed, a proportion somewhat larger than that of the preceding year—72 per cent. Table M gives the proportions presented and passed in the several districts, and the proportions of those passed to those presented in the several standards respectively.

TABLE M.—Numbers and Proportions of Passes in Standards.

The total proportion of children that passed some standard during the year was 37"4; and for every 1,000 children on the roll 8 passed Standard VI., 22 passed Standard V., and 45 passed Standard IV.; all the children that passed the fourth or a higher standard being therefore 75 in a thousand. The arrangement of the children in their classes according to standards at the end of the year is shown in Table N. It relates to a definite time, and represents the judgment of the teachers as to the proficiency of all their scholars ; while the statistics given in Table M are compiled from the returns of examinations held at different times, represent the judgment of the Inspectors as to the results attained, and do not include children who did not pass during the year.

TABLE N. —Classification according to Standards in the Last Quarter of 1881.

XII

Passed Standards Education Districts, Roll (Dec, 1881). Presented. Passed. I. 11. III. IV. V. VI. Total. Per cent. io"9 80 of Roll Number. All... 83,587 \ 51 p.c. of roll number 73-4 p.c. of number presented. n'o 4'5 2'2 o-8 37-4 I Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington ... Hawke's Bay... Marlborough... Nelson Worth Canterbury I.* ... North Canterbury II.* South Canterbury Westland Otago Southland Pi cent, of Numbei 7 I-S 60-5 74'4 S8"3 79 77"9 817 58 74-2 69-5 83-5 81-4 77 66-2 70 60 82-3 62-1 85-8 72-6 94 74 84 73 70-3 38-6 1 present* 69 76-8 69 fi 77-6 7°'S 57'4 S3 64'1 54'5 66 70 27*5 2d in eacl 696 58-5 90-4 76 68-5 75 7°'5 58 39'6 54 67 4 8'2 686 h Standard. 82'S 7°'S 33'3 67 977 81 76 737 77 7i6 70 80 73'2 71 58 70 73'2 741 53'6 73"4 9i 83 73 77 7'"4 59'3 IS,8.3O 1,709 4,488 6,147 3,206 1,321 4,062 7.752 768 2,376 3,755 1,693 691 ' 2,358 3,680 3,669 ',833 1,408 9,972 2,680 5,469 5>S I.92S 2,772 1,213 SS3 1.675 2,S98 2,720 ',346 1,162 7,712 1,588 79'4 601 857 83-1 69'1 85-3 81 90 83T 76-8 94 83 779 } 16,051 [ 3,531 2,935 19,274 5,°33 Totals 42.635 31,248 82T 64'S 64"3 747 73H 83,587 779 * North Canterbur I. is Mr. Edj ;e's district] II. Mr. Restell's.

Standards. Boys, Girls. Totals. Percei itagc. '00 young for line next following 'reparing for Standard I. ,; ni. ... „ iv. ... jj „ V. ... „ vi. ... ?assed Standard VI. it,213 8,997 7.249 7.293 4,877 2,491 1.044 320 10,060 7.992 6,819 7.030 4,686 2,296 949 271 21,273 16,989 14,068 14,323 9.S63 4,787 1.993 59' 1881. 25'45 20-32 1683 17-14 11-44 573 2-38 0-71 i88o. 26-36 2I'2I 1795 l6'34 IO-72 499 1*90 °'53 Totals for 1881 Totals for 1880 43.484 42.734 40,103 39,667 83.587 82,401 lOO'OO IOO'OO